Sharks take Curtis Brown off the IR list

LOS ANGELES — It’s the time of the season where rest is often more important than the morning skate, so the only players who took to the ice at Staples Center were the likely scratches, plus backup goalie Brian Boucher who is expected to be in the nets tonight.

The one bit of news was the removal of forward Curtis Brown from the injured reserve list. Whether or not he’s in the lineup tonight remains to be seen.

A couple other quick notes:

******** Brad Norton, the veteran defenseman signed by the Sharks last summer to provide added toughness, stopped by to see the Sharks training staff and what few players were on the scene. Norton has been suffering from back problems and hasn’t been able to suit up for San Jose. He lives in Southern California and visits his would-be teammates when they’re here to play the Kings.

Norton’s back problems ended up requiring two surgeries, two planned and one of the emergency variety when he developed a blood clot in his spinal column. That last procedure required a 12-day hospital stay to be certain he was OK.

******** The Sharks have had the same healthy scratches since the arrival of Brian Campbell at the trade deadline and today assistant trainer Wes Howard came up with a way to develop a little camarderie among the group and keep things light. They’re skating with small yellow fins attached to their helmets, each fin bearing the players’ number. The fins are tied to a competition among themselves, sort of a star-of-the-practice tracking system.

Two of the expected group, however, weren’t on the ice this morning. Neither Tomas Plihal nor Alexei Semenov were there, but whether that mean they’re in the lineup is another question that won’t be answered until game time.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

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wow I didn’t have a clue how serious Norton’s injuries. What a bummer for the guy. I wish him all the best and no more complications.

Glad to hear the Brown is off IR. Hopefully he gets a few game before the post season. Brown is a great PK but with Mitchell has scene less and less ice time. Just glad there is a reliable role player in the wings.

Turk

Wait until gametime to learn who’s in the line up?!?! What? I’ve become so dependent on this blog that not knowing everything before the Sharks skate on the ice has a negative emotional impact. Ok. Enough fake whining. On with the game. Go Sharks. Trounce LA.

Ivano

So Plihal played, as expected. But I hardly saw him. Interesting move that I think lets first line play more.

Good to see a win, but what on earth was that during the last 5 minutes of the game?? Luckily, Boucher saved our butts more than once today, but come on. Why can’t we finish strong against the worst NHL team?

But win is a win.

And thanks goodness they didn’t scratch Rismiller like some people wanted.

topcat

LA game…pretty funny…after giving the Sharks a couple of dubious power plays early, ref favorites Koharski and Shick decided to make it even by letting Cloutier dive twice for interference penalties (both were tripping by him). Cloutier then went by the Shark’s bench responding to something Shelly said, perhaps “why don’t you play hockey like a ****ing man and quit taking dives to draw bogus interference penalties” plus some colorful language. Let’s hope we don’t draw those refs for any critical remaining games or the playoffs.

ting

What a lackadasical win. But a win is a win.

Now onto my boy Kyle Mac. I guess its unfair for me to call him ‘washed up’, this I will admit. And with his bum knee probably not at 100 percent, it probably explains why he is moving very slow.

However, tonight’s play that lead to a goal is what I have seen happen way too many times this season. Sharks have possession of the puck with no pressure in their own end and Kyle makes 1 bad pass to Rivet in close range (these short dinky passes are killing me), gets back the pass, ends up coughing the puck up that leads to a goal.

It’s excusable if he is under pressure, and I understand his immobility, but his poor decision making and bad passes have been a recurring theme.

ting

Oh, might I also add, after the Kings goal, the camera zooms in on RW and one can read his lips: WTF???…very funny indeed.

Derek

One more win and we clinch the playoffs. Number 9 Nashville can only get 96 points if they win everything, and we have 95.

Ivano

Ting —
To be fair, the whole team fell apart on that play. Why did LA player had so much time to get the shot out and why was everybody just standing watching him shot the bloody puck? And how was the puck passed so easily?

But your eyes were looking for Big Mac, and they found him.

David H

I support Big Mac, but Ivano, Ting is right. On that play his lack of mobility and his indecision on his clearing the zone led directly to the goal. If he can only skate 75% then he is a liability. He looked slow all night long. He is not in the line up do to his passing ability, but his ability to play physical and control his man. Right now he just is not getting to his spots to contribute. I would not be surprised to see him as a ‘healthy’ scratch tonite.

A great road win made closer then needed with the late goal. LA was buzzing to start, but as I said to my wife, if that’s LA’s hot start, then we will win this game easily. And if not for the slow skating all night of Big Mac, then we would have dominated. Nice game played by all, even the ‘hardly seen’ Plihal. The shut down line scored the game winner, Haw HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!

andy

Guys, a “lackadaisical win”? “The whole team fell apart on that play”?

With 95 points the Sharks are now within FIVE POINTS of Detroit. I would have been crucified on the home blog with a prediction like that a month ago. Remember at that time we had to apologize to the trade and fire guys for attending games. The ownership group were just money grubbing scumbags who didn’t want to win,,,
Blah, blah, blah.

Dan

I agree: a win is a win is a win. BUT, the Sharks need to figure out how to keep the intensity up even when they get up by a goal or two, especially in the latter stages of the game. It’s all well and good to hang on for a nail-biting win against the Kings (or the Predators or the Blackhawks, etc., etc.), but I just don’t think that’s going to fly in the playoffs against superior competition. The Sharks need to learn how to close teams out (see: Detroit. Playoffs. Last year.).

Also agree that McLaren looked slow all night, never more so than on his final shift that resulted in a goal. And Grier has looked sub-par for the last week or so; I wonder if he’s hiding an injury because he hasn’t been playing with his normal level of intensity or reliability.

Finally, glad to see that Brownie is back, but where does he play? And an even bigger question: when is Clowe making his return and where will *he* play?

David H

Hey Dan, glad someone else said that first about Grier, as some think I only look for negatives (former coaches always do). But he has looked less then stellar over the last ten games or so. I think some sort of injury has slowed him down and made him seem sluggish. He is still effective, but not to the same level as before. He seems to want to pass the puck out of trouble instead of skate it out as he did so well during the first part of the season. And he is not hitting with authority.

Linkster

To be fair to McLaren before the LA goal, it looked a lot like Rivet made a weak pass that Mac wasn’t ready for. I thought the LA forecheck was actually loaded up on Mac’s side of the ice, so why Rivet decided to pass the puck to Mac is a mystery.

Anyway, if Mac really is too slow for the playoffs then it well be exposed and exploited in the Dallas and Anaheim games. At least it will give the coaches a game or two to slide Mac out and warm Carle up (“this is your last chance, Matty.”)

Duke

I doubt that RW will change the lines with the exception of the 4th. Clowe and Brown will be in the
mix with JR and Shelley. Any combination of these men especially if Clowe is health will make life interesting for the opposition.

I look for the Ducks to go “heading hunting” in their games against us and Dallas

Ivano

You’re all blaming 2-1 on slow Mac? Give me a break. When defense allows just one goal, it’s always a good defensive performance on my books.

The reason why it wasn’t a blow out of LA is because Setoguchi needs to learn how to score on open nets. We don’t need this kind of crap in playoffs. Marleau’s line was the hottest last night, but they need to finish sure goals in games like this.

If we finish the rest of the season allowing just one goal per game, any guesses on how well we may finish?

Robert

“I look for the Ducks to go “heading hunting” in their games against us” –> totally agreed Duke. wonder if Parros will do the noble thing and only square off with Shelley. i am convinced that (given what the Preds did in the last playoffs) every team in the West saw what Raffi Torres did to Michalek back in 2006 and the ensuing result as the blueprint to success against us.

anyhow some interesting news this morning per ESPN: “the Toronto Star’s Paul Hunter recently produced a breakdown of the number of players NHL teams have drafted who are currently playing in the league, either for their own team or another. The San Jose Sharks, considered by many the best team in the Western Conference, have 11 draft picks in their everyday lineup. The New Jersey Devils have 15 homegrown players on the ice on most nights; the Buffalo Sabres also play 15.”

more proof that Lombardi, Wilson and their supportive casts have done a tone of work towards longterm success in SJ. Lombardi’s ousting was a bit of a shock to me but both his and Wilson’s scouting teams have put us in a good place for seasons to come. i’ve always said this and ESPN backed my support of Sharks management up by adding:

“The ability to develop viable NHLers through the draft allows” these teams “to manage the salary cap and then, when needed, acquire other assets through trade.”

David H

Ivano once again you fail to note the obvious. It was never a two on one, but a misplay behind the net. The puck sprang free to the corner and Big Mac took an hour to get to the puck while the King jumped it and feed it to his D which then shot it into the goal through a screened Boucher. Big Mac is a slow as a Mack truck at this point of the season due to injury. Should he be playing is the ?????. I’d rather he play then most of our other options, but can he stay up? At least Carle can skate.

Linkster

RW needs to find the right situation to re-introduce Matt Carle before the playoffs. He still doesn’t seem ready for a full 82 game season. But given half a chance – and after 10 games in the rafters – I think he’ll be more mobile and less error-prone than he was in December and January. Then Big Mac can take the #7 scratch position in the first two series and rest for a possible WCF and Cup Finals appearance.

Regarding Big Mac I was at the game versus the Oilers with my dad and we bot noticed how gimpy he was with the knee. Seeing it on TV doesn’t show everything. Each time out he was taking weight off it, not pushing off on it like he should.

But a Big Mac at 75% is better tha Carle at 120%

Ivano

David H
So what’s the point? You’re right, he makes mistakes. Doesn’t Campbell? Doesn’t Niedermeyer? Or Lidstrom? They all make mistakes. The only thing that matters is who wins games, and those who score more than opponents come out with points and Cups. Why did we only allow one goal last night? Was it all Boucher’s achievement? He’s had a great game, but let’s not forget that he didn’t have to face 50 shots like Roloson the other night. Our defense has played their best hockey during the last months, and Big Mac has been part of it, whether you like it or not.

I don’t want to see Carle in the lineup. I clearly remember his playoffs performance last year and teh year before. No thank you. Let’s keep him watching from the stands and help out when needed, but let’s not give him 20 minutes a game that may easily result in a goal or two as we’ve seen during the losing streak.

goaliepuke

I think you guys all missed it. I’ve only seen the last few minutes of the WIN so far — and I remember this play pretty well I think.

On the Kings goal, someone mention Macs side was loaded, yes, true, and he became a poor outlet for Rivet. Rivet’s play was actually to send it out of the zone, up the boards, because they out-numbered them 3-2 in the d-zone. When K-Mac got the puck behind the net, the King player behind him got a tug on K-Mac’s arm with his stick just before the puck squirted out. By that time, the rest of the team should have collapsed to the passing/shooting lanes. As it turned out, it looked to me they came back to the net too far and screened Boucher.

It was close to a penalty, but wasn’t called. Tough to say whether K-Mac should have been able to play through it, and while I don’t think he was faultless on the play, the rest of the team didn’t support him correctly. I think I can even give Marleau some blame (I can see someone’s jaw drop) because I think he was on the ice and that was his side.

Bottom line, “hockey happens.” And, the Kings were pressing hard and forced some poor decisions. As someone said “they only allowed one goal.” That indeed will take you far in the post season.

MoreCowbell

Ok, so I’ve refrained from commenting until now, but I can’t hold out any longer. Go back and watch the play that led to the LA goal again. The critical error was made before Big Mac ever passed to Rivet. Big Mac got the puck and inexplicably skated himself AND Rivet into the boards, then made the pass. He closed the gap between himself and Rivet before passing, allowing one forechecker to make the play, ultimately resulting in the loss of the puck. Big Mac should never have skated toward Rivet on that play. He needed to keep the spacing and make the pass or get it out to someone else.

When I saw that gap close with Rivet unable to get any kind of spacing, I immediately thought, “uh oh, here it comes.” And it did. I agree with RW – WTF? WTF indeed.

Cornichon

David P,

Can you please give us an update on Clowe’s status? It is so silent on that front that it is scary. If he doesn’t get back soon he will not be able to make the playoffs…

Also second the thought that Grier is hurt. His effort is seriously lacking and we all know that is not like him…

C.

goaliepuke

Well, I hope I’m wrong on the Shark’s side of it, but I think tonight will be a low-scoring nail-biter.

I’d really like to clinch a berth with a 5-0 blowout though.

I’m hoping CB get’s in tonight too.

Stuart

On the LA goal, it seemed to me that there was a D-man miscommunication: both Mac and Rivet wanted to play the right side on that play. Plus one forward gives us 3 Sharks bunched together in a bad position.

I saw Curtis Brown last Friday after the game. He signed an autograph for a 4 year old boy, then said, “I would shake your hand, but I’m afraid you’d crush it.”

Joking of course, but it did seem like he was still protecting it. He shook hands with someone else–with his left hand.

Was at the Oilers game and saw the game vs. kings last night and one thing I can say…Brian Campbell is still getting acclimated with his new squad. Against the OIL, we was holding the puck way too long! There were several occasions where he should of shot the puck and didn’t.

Once he’s on the same page with his new squad, Look Out!

Ivano

Goaliepuke
I think you’re right. With so much on the line for both teams, these games are now as important as playoff games. That’s why we don’t see much fighting or too many goals anymore.

goaliepuke

Ivano, which part do you think I’m right about? I want to exploit that a little. 🙂

I actually think you’re talking about CB getting in the line-up. He actually could play right wing or center and JR could play the right side with Shelley in there too. Depends if the Wild can suit up, Boogerhead is it?

Or are you talking about the fact that defense for 60 min is more important right now. The Wild are trying to win their division too.

Since thee Sharks have proven D, they don’t need to change directly, just keep pushing the pace and do it “braincramp free” for 60 min.

Ivano

Goaliepuke –
I was referring to your post about a close game, #23. Unless we score quick three goals like we did last Friday, it’ll be an intense play-off kind of hockey.

goaliepuke

Agreed 100%. It is also an important game for this other reason….they could be our first round opponent. because of that, I am hoping for some quick goals by Marleau, Soupy, Cheech, Mihalek, etc.

A sweep of the Wild this season would give them Sharks on the brain.

goaliepuke

David P, speaking of sweeps this season, it seems we’ve had a number of sweeps already. How many do we have and what does it compare to in Franchise stats/history? I can look this seasons, but I don;t know if I have good access to that kind of search.

I would Dan Russinowski would be able to figure that out easily enough — he’s a stat monster!

Thanks,

GP

SCSharksFan

You must have been listening to the radio broadcast last night, eh GP? I heard Bakes giving Dan a hard time about all his 20 spreadsheets with like 20 tabs of stats in each Excel workbook… pure comedy… he told him his Hockey stat files will be in the Smithsonian or something when he dies! 😮

goaliepuke

I only heard bits and pieces through Riss’s goal. I did hear Baks say something about his stats later in the game.

Dan has “always” done this. I remember many years ago on the air he mentioned that he loved looking up hockey facts and stats. He’s kind of a hockey “geek.”

GP

andy

#12
Where were you a former coach?

ting

Another nailbiter. I swear I’m going to have heart problems following this team trying to hold leads in the final minute of play. Sigh..

BC

It doesn’t help that we continue to have people turn their brains off in close games.

Ivano

I’m so glad we won this game. These are exactly the kind of games that piss me off. The refs were completely oblivious to how dirty the Wild have played in the third period and in OT. Shove stick in Mitchell’s face? Who cares. Wild’s extra player runs out a mile before the other player comes in? That’s OK. Unfortunately, we’ll see much more of this kind of crap in playoffs, but we deserved to win tonight just for these reasons, and we did.

And what a goal by JR/Brown/Patty.. Teamwork beauty. Every game we get a highlight reel goal.

I hope, however, that we won’t face the Wild again this season. They remind me of Edmonton of two years ago, the trap, dirty players, plus a better goalie and in-shape Gaborik. No, thank you. Bring on the Canucks.

topcat

What a game by Setoguchi! Sure hope he is ok…he did everything (mostly) right except score, and Wilson rewarded him with power play time for his efforts (but might not again soon after a dangerous giveaway).

The refs forgot in the 3rd period that it is actually ok to call penalties against the Shark’s opponents as well, as the desperate Minn tried everything, legal and not to tie.

Ivano

BC –
True that. Why does it always have to be Ehrhoff who commits a stupid penalty in the last minute? Or why did Mitchell has to be on the face off when there are few better players out there?

hockeygal

Yes but Curtis Brown did get enough ice time to be the #1 star in the game. Lots to happy about, still more to work on but we are in the playoffs. Bring on the Prongerless Ducks.

y

I just can’t understand why Nabokov is not stopping a shot with 30 seconds left when he’s up by 1 goal. Guys don’t want OT, or to give the other team a point. And we all know Nabokov is awfully lucky these days in shootouts….precarious at best. Lucky win tonight.

dick skylark

WHATAGAME!!! I was really amazed at the difference between last night’s game an tonight. It was like the difference in a video game between novice and pro. The speed and skill level out there was doubled tonight, and really something to behold. It was an amazing show of hockey skill and determination by both teams. The Sharks hung tough and stuck with their game plan, and somehow ended up on the winning edge. I’m truly inspired. Marleau was huge, that late monster open ice hit by crankhouse was beyond huge, and JR . . . what can I say. Another game winner for the gritty veteran. A few of our boys will have noticable bumps and bruises tonight, and Shelly is just a bit uglier, and bloodier, but a win is a MFn’ win. Thank You Sharks for an entertaining night. I only wish I was able to see it in person.

ting

Drew is right. If the Sharks cant find a way to hold on these last minute leads, it will come back to bite us in the arse, come playoff time.

It would be interesting stat, to see which teams have given up the most last minute goals in a game this season. I would reckon the Sharks are right there in the lead.

BigJ

#39, what are you talking about? The last game against the Wild the puck caromed off Rivet (I think) AND Vlasic before going in. Tonight he didn’t even see the shot…it was a 6 on 4 afterall with net traffic and a clean shot from the point.

As far as shootouts go whether its look, patience, good positioning or whatever its working lately for him.

goaliepuke

Dick, on one note about being at the game, the officiating was really bad if you saw (or didn’t see if you had a striped sweater on) it live.

goaliepuke

BigJ, let me say it this way, “Y” has an interesting way of “complimenting” his “favorite” team and players.

GP

goaliepuke

BC, Ivano, was that really a hook on Erhoff? They showed the replay once I think on the big screen, and I didn’t see a hook. But I only saw it once. We, in my section(not telling which one), thought it was a phantom call.

This was a really curiously officiated game.

GP

goaliepuke

Pattin’ myself on the back here…I had a feeling CB would get on the ice tonight — HUGE!

BC

It was pretty blatant on television. Ehrhoff got his stick, and then his whole body, up under Gaborik’s arm. If he hadn’t led with his stick, then it probably wouldn’t have been a penalty, but with the stick used for leverage it was an easy call for the official.

Jeffy

Very exciting win. But we can use a bit less excitement and more ability to not let late goals in. 6 on 4 6 on 5, it doesn’t seem to matter. The Sharks are right up there with one goal wins, so they must be up there as well with goal against in the last minute.

Still not comfortable with Matt Carle. Holding him out seems to help, but he’ll revert back to his porous self in no time. Having said that, Kyle Mac definitely needs a bit more Red Bull. We’ve got 3 solid D-men (Soupy, Rivet and Pickles) and 3 that are up and down a lot. They need to pick up their game.

Hideous officiating tonight. Too bad about Foster, it was ugly. Mitchell almost looked worse about it than Foster did.